The making of League of Legends fan art commission : Death Sworn Viktor

For my first blog post, I wanted to share the process behind one of my fan art commissions: Death Sworn Viktor from League of Legends. This piece was a journey of visual researches, sketching, and meticulous watercolor layering, with a touch of colored pencils and pens. That artwork resulted in a piece that I am truly proud of.

Visual research & initial sketches

The process began with extensive visual research and reading. I immersed myself in the details of the Death Sworn Viktor skin, studying the character's background, and finding a pose that suited him perfectly. I questionned my client why Viktor was his choice for a fan art commission more than another character, especially this skin. Viktor was featured in League of Legends' : Arcane show before this transformations, so I got interested in how and why Viktor has those mechanical body parts. I feel like it's truly important to get to know the character on a personal level, even if as the artist you are not a fan to begin with, because it will truly show in the artwork how you got attached to them. You will be able to come up with extra details/thoughts that will just make sense along the way. It's important to establish this "connection", so it will feel special to the client.

Once I found a pose, color palette and details I was happy with, I started with traditional paper sketches to establish the basic shapes and composition.

Art notes on the sketch

I like to write down some notes on my sketch. Excuse the french and messy handwriting lol. Two other references in the middle and left slide are respectively Viktor's splash art skin from the League of Legends video game, and I like Garou from One Punch Man universe's pose in this illustration.

Digital drawing step & layout

Once I was satisfied with the initial sketches, I transitioned to my iPad, on Procreate, to refine the forms digitally. I divided the digital sketch into several parts, each corresponding to an 8.5 x 11-inch section. These sections were then printed, pieced together, and transferred onto the final paper. I prefer to use this "extra" step, because it allows me to be messy in my shapes and details when drawing digitally. This way, I can truly tailor and resize the character with my real-life measurements digitally, without using the good old eraser for days and possibly ruining a good quality paper canvas!

Here's how the cut-out design looks like separated, ready to be printed on four 8,5 x 11 inches papers.

Outlining & final sketch

With the sections in place, I traced the outlines to ensure a 1:1 scale as planned, making it easier to refine the drawing with details. I carefully went over the lines, adjusting and perfecting them until I had the final outline ready for painting. At this step, right before painting, I also let loose a bit once my composition is solid, to allow my creative style to take place, making the League of Legends fan art commission an unique piece that is clearly signed Vie!

Watercolor & finishing touches

I approached the watercolor phase with patience, building up layers slowly. I combined the watercolor with colored pencil layers to smooth out transitions and achieve a polished look. I always take a good amount of time to work my layers, as rushing this process can alter the finish that I wanted. Additionally, I added pen strokes to give the piece a sketch-like finish, mostly on the shadows and highlights. For the metallic parts of Viktor’s armor, I used a bit of felt tip and metallic paint to create a shiny, lustrous effect, which the effect can be way more impressive in real life.

Some pictures of the layering process. I also added masking tape on the sides.

Preservation & framing

To preserve the artwork, I applied a fixative spray designed for watercolors. I chose a frame that complemented the primary color of the piece (turquoise) and opted for UV-protective glass. Framing gets quite expensive, especially with the glass, but in the long run, it will ensure that the colors remain vibrant and protected from damage over the years.

Pictures of close-up details. Third picture showcases the glare the anti-UV glass.